Cleveland Cavaliers' Kyrie Irving (2) misses a shot at the close of the game as San Antonio Spurs' Tony Parker (9) defends late in the fourth quarter of an NBA basketball game Wednesday, Feb. 13, 2013, in Cleveland. San Antonio won 96-95. (AP Photo/Tony Dejak)

Cavaliers shooting guard Dion Waiters went through a full gamut of emotions in the last 10 seconds of Wednesday's game.

The Cavs were edged by the San Antonio Spurs, 96-95, before an announced crowd of 12,162 at Quicken Loans Arena.

Waiters nailed a 20-foot, step-back jumper with 9.9 seconds left for a 95-93 advantage.

However, he sagged off his man on the defensive end and allowed Spurs forward Kawhi Leonard to bury a 3-pointer with 2.9 seconds left for the game-winner.

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"I feel terrible," Waiters said. "I blame myself. I tried to help out (on Spurs point guard Tony Parker, who passed to a wide-open Leonard in the corner). I left him open."

Waiters is no stranger to defensive breakdowns. He sagged off Heat shooting guard Ray Allen, who dropped in a last-second 3-pointer in Miami's 110-108 victory on Nov. 24 at AmericanAirlines Arena.

"It's the second time it's happened to me," Waiters said. "I have to stay home (on defense).

"You have to learn at the end of the day. I hate to lose that way."

The Cavs (16-37) had a chance to win it with a last-second shot, but point guard Kyrie Irving capped off an all-around terrible night by slipping, getting up and firing up a wild shot that had no chance of going in. He's had five game-winners in his career.

No one was going to argue with that statement. He finished with a season-low six points, three rebounds and seven assists. However, he made 2 of 15 from the field, 0 of 10 in the second half.

"It was one of those nights," Cavs coach Byron Scott said. "He couldn't throw it into the ocean. He is human. He will have bad nights."

Leonard broke open with the defensive breakdown. Spurs coach Gregg Popovich was confident he's make the 23-foot shot.

"We practiced that 1,000 times, so I knew he'd be able to execute it," Popovich said. "If Tony had an open layup, he would have gotten the layup. He beat the guy and everyone had to come in and that's the alternative."

Point guard Tony Parker led all scorers with 24 points, six rebounds and seven assists. He made 8 of 14 from the field.